Automobile chassis of sheet-metal stampings



Dec. 3, 1929. .1. P. TARBQX 1,737,810 AUTOMOBILE CHASSIS OF SHEET METAL; STAIPIHGS Filed Dee. 21. y192'! s sheets-'sheet' 1 l Wnllhmvlllludr dull. wan.

mm ma I INVENTOR.

I Tm..

Dec. 3, 1929s J. P. TARBOX AUTOMOBILE. CHASSIS OF SHEET METAL STAXPINGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 21. 1927 1N VENToR.

Dec; 3, 1929. J. P. ARBQx www AUTQIOBILE CHASSIS OE SHEET METAL STAHPIHGS Filed Deo. 21. 1927 `s sheets-sheet 5.

IN V EN TOR.

lPatented Dec. 3, 1.929`

UNIT-ED y STATES 'PATENT OFFICE JOHN P. TARBOX, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGLNOR TO EDWARD G. BUDD MANUFACTURING C0., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION F PENNSYLVANIA AUTOMOBILE CHASSIS 0F SHEET-METAL STAMPINGB I Application led December 21, 1927. Serial No. 241,685.

Theloutstanding object of my invention is the `attainment in an automobile chassis of those degrees of lightness, stiiness,'freedom from joints and high economy in production which the use of relatively thin and expansive sheet metal stampings have lsecured to the automobile body. In other words, it has been my aim to so construct an automobile .chassis of relatively thin sheet metal stampings that these advantages will be secured. I,

Heretofore it has many times been proposed to construct an automobile chassis of a single sheet metal stamping. To attain this it has been proposed to vertically draw a sheet of metal suiiciently large to produce a complete chassis in such manner as to form therefrom in a sin le drawing operation chassis sills and cross races, drip pans, floors, splash boards, running boards and fenders.

' Sometimes the proposal covered some of these elements and sometimes all of them. But such constructions are at large subject to the objections thatunless the gauge of the metal be extremely heavy, not merely relatively heavy, strength and stiffness could not be secured since the relative inter-bracing of the parts is otherwise insutlicient. Yet if the gauge be made sufficiently heavy to attaln these two advantages, the other two, li htness of construction and economy of pro uction were unduly defeated. Indeed, in many constructions it would be impossible to draw the metal were its gauge made suiicient to meet the requirements.

Accordingly, I have made 1t also an obgect of my invention to attain such dis osition of the relativel thin sheet metal, an such d1sposition of t e joints thereof as would insure strength and stiness 'and r1g1d1 ty amply stance sacrificing the lightness and economy of production.

Stated in general terms, my construction comprises a chassis of structural form, the

are of hollow cross section and are comprised in entirety of two sheet metaly stamp1ngs, an

upper sheet metal stamping constxtutin outer and upper portions of the member, an

lwill be clearly apparent.

sufficient ,for all purposes without 1n any in- 1 4similarities are principally in the forms of various structural members of which, as for example, the chassis side sills and cross braces,

a lower sheet metal stamping constituting the inner and lower portions 'of the member, which sheet metal stampings are joined together in their margins. I

In the drawings I show the best embodi-` ment of my invention now known to me but it is obviouslycapable of other embodiments both in part and in parcel without departing from its generic spirit.

Of the drawings,-A

Figure 1 is a general plan view of the left side of the chassis.

Figure 2 is a corresponding left side elevation.

Figures 3--A and 3-B are enlargements of the front andrear ends of the plan view of Figure l. l

Figures lr-A and 4--B are respectively corresponding enlargements df the left side elevation thereof.

Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 are res ctivel cross sections on lines of correspon in num er in the directions of 'the applic arrows in Figs. 1 to 4-B.

Figures l2 and 13 are cross sections showing each a modified form of the chassis side sill, the. sections being transverse sections of the sill.

Figure 14 is a section taken on line lll-14 of Fig. 13.

The structuralform of the chassis in elevation and plan is inA outline and in position of members'essentiall similar to the V4structural form of the stan ard automobile chassis` of today. While similar, however, it does di'er from it in a number of respects which Its similarity is principally in the use of longitudinally lextending side sills 20 and transversely extend.

ing cross braces 21 to 25. Its structural disnarily employed in the structural sill members of a chassis, of a gauge approaching in thinness, if not actually reaching in thinness the gauge employed 1n the outer panel of l sheet metal bodies and in the relatively thin frame members thereof.

The entire outer and upper walls of the sills 26 and 27, respectively, together with the entire upper walls designated 28 of the cross -lo braces, are formed in common as a stamping from a single sheet of relatively light gauge sheet metal. The entire inner and lower walls 29, 30 of the chassis side walls and ofthe cross braces designated 31 are constitutedin corn-` mon of an integral one piece stamping of relatively thin gauge sheet metal. These twoA integral one piece stampings are joined together in their margins to constitute the chassis. The `joining is by crimping the meeting edges of thev parts of the hollow sections.

Thus, the parts of the sill are crimped together at `32and 33, the lower outer'margins and the upper inner margins, the respective stampings therefor --forming .the adjacent V2:5 sides of the box section.

The crimped joints 32 and 33 may be of any well known form. That one shown embodies in the stampings the locking shoul\ ,ders 34. The crimped joint 33 is oli'set downao Wardly to form a shoulder for a floor board suplport. This offset is in the same plane wit the crimped joints 33 of the cross braces whereby the cross braces also afford a floor board support. The upper surfaces 28 of 36 these cross braces lie in the same plane as" the top of the flooring and therefore constitute a part thereof. Through this disposition o the crimped oints there may be '1 continuous crimping boti of the outer mar- 40 gins of the stampings as at 32 and of the inner margins bordering the openings between vthe cross braces as at 33. Thereby the crimping operations may each be carried out in a sing e press.

The inner side walls 29 are inwardly oii'set for various purposes as shown in Fig. 8 for the rovision of a longitudinal anchorage 35 for ongitudinally extending spring, or as in Fig. 7,.to provide for the transverse anchorage 36 of the motor support 37 or in other ways as in Figs. 1 and 2 to rovlde a batter box 38. The transverse o set illustrated in Fig. 7 for the engine support is also trans-A versely shouldered as at 38 to vertically seat and support the motor support 37. The spring support 35 shown in Fi 8 extends transversely quite a distance underlying the cross brace 23 and forming a, part of the under-wall 31 thereof. The offset 38 of Figs. no 1 and 2 is extended both transversely and longitudinally and is open at the top vwhereby the battery or other parts stored therein may be easily inserted andremoved. Obviously, offsets for these and similar purposes `may be most readily provided by stamping in the and the advantagesthereof secured.

,better to receive the strains of the anchorage as applied by through bolts 40 or their equivalent devices. Such inter-bracing means at the opposite ends of the sills constitute in themselves `supports for anchorages 41 for the front and rear spring shackles.

The one piece upper stamping has formed therein as part of the cross brace 24 integrally connected heel board 42 and `seat support 43,

also integrally formed tank cover plate44 and seat support 43. In the modication shown in Fig. 12, the lower crimped joint 32 is outturned instead of downturned to form'the support forl the inner edgeof the footboard 45 shown in dotted lines. In theA modification shown in Figs. 13-14, the footboard 46 is formedintegrally with the outer and inner walls 26 and 29 of the chassis side sill 20. The outer'wall 26 is turned outwardly and downwardly to constitute the upper surface of footboard 46. The inner side wall 29 is turned outwardly and transversely corrugated as shown in Fig. 14. It is welded to the outer wall in the corrugations.

Many other vmodifications may be mentioned, the cutting out of the metal in certain of the cross brace formations to lighten the same, as for example, at 45 in Fig. 4-A, the under side of the front cross brace 21 where the metal is flanged upwardly on the margins of the opening. The upper wall of cross brace 21 constitutes the front cover plate of the chassis sills and cross brace. Drip pans may be formed integrally with either the upper or the lower of the two stampings. None are shown since the manner of theirformation of one piece stampings is well known in the art. The joints betwen the stamping, While best formed by crimping as shown,.may

`be formed in other ways fas for example, as

welded lap joints or joints of other construcy tion and making. Welded joints are shown -between certain of the margins as for example, thosebetween the upper and-lower wa s of cross braces 24 and 25 constituting the seat support 43. Others of greater and of less extent can v'be `readily skilled the art but in all of themthe objects of my invention will have been achieved What I claim as new and useful is:

made by those l 1. An automobile chassis of hollow cross section-comprisedjof upper and lower sheet metalstamp'ings constituting its ,up er 'and' lower surfaces and joined together in-.their fliao.

margins.

a usano j and their stampings joined together in their margins.

3. An automobile chassis comprisingside sills and cross braces' of hollow cross section and the side sills being of box cross section, the upper surfaces of which members are formed'in commonof one sheet metal stamp-` ing and the lower surfaces of which member are formed in common of another sheet metal stamping.

4. An automobile chassis embodying a chassis side sill of box cross section, two adjacent sides of which are made out of one sheet metal stamping and the two remaining sides, out of another sheet metal stamping.

5. An automobile chassis embodying a chassis side sill of box cross section comprised of two longitudinally extending sheet metal stampings constituting respectively adjacent side walls of the box cross section and crimped tolglether in diagonal opposite corners of the s1 6. An automobile chassis embodying a chassis side sill of box cross section, two adjacent ysides of which are constituted in common of one sheet metal stamping and the two remaining sides of which are constituted in common by another sheet metal stamping, theI upper of said joints being downwardly offset to provide alloor board supportin shoulder.

7. An automobile chassis embo ying chassis side sills of vrelatively thin sheet metal stampings and box cross section, the inner side walls of which box section are inwardly olset to serve as portions of transversely extending cross braces.

8. An automobile chassis embodying chassis side sills of relatively thin sheet metal stampings and box cross section, the inner side walls of which are inwardly offset and transversely shouldered to serve -as portions of transversely extending cross braces.

9. An automobile chassis embodying chassis side sills of relatively thin sheet metal stampings and box cross section, the relatransversely and lon itudinally extending portion downwardly o set as respects the top of the sills and open at the top to serve asl storage space for batteries and the like. l

12. An automobile chassis comprising side sills and cross braces of hollowcross section and the side sillsbeng of box cross section, the upper surfaces of which members are formed in common of one sheet metal stamp- .ing and the lower surfaces of lwhich members 'are formed in common of another sheet metal stamping, the outer and upper sill and upper cross brace walls constitute the one stamping and the inner and lower sill walls and the under cross brace walls being constituted by the other stamping.

13. An automobile chassis of hollow cross section comprised of upper and lower sheet metal stampings'constituting its upper and lower surfaces and joined together in their margins, the upper stamping embodying in- `"tegrally a connected heel board and seat support.

14. An automobile chassis of hollow cross section comprised of upper and lower sheet metal stampings constituting its upper and lower surfaces and joined together in their margins, the upper stamping embodying in-` tegrally a rearanchorage board and a seat support.

In testimony whereof I hereunto alix my signature. JOHN P. TARBOX.

tively thin side walls of which are interiorly y braced transversely to serve as transverse anchorages. l

10. An automobile chassis embodying chassis side sills of relatively thi-n sheet metal stampings and box cross section, the inner side 1.

wall of which is provided with integral transversely extending olsets carrying longitudinal anchorages for longitudinally extendingsprings.

11. An automobile chassis embodying chassis side sills of relatively thin sheet metal stampings and box cross section, the inner sidev wall of which4 is provded with an integral 

